Software applications, such as a mobile application, sometimes make use of one or more communication and control (C&C) channels with remote master servers. In the mobile ecosystem, a C&C channel is typically considered a neutral term, representing the interaction/data exchanges between a set of installed applications and a remote master server. In some cases, the C&C channels may be included in software surreptitiously by the software authors for nefarious purposes (e.g., to leak sensitive information to the authors). However, C&C channels can also be used for legitimate purposes. For example, an embedded analytics SDK might be used by a legitimate application to help improve software quality by reporting information about devices onto which the SDK is deployed to a master server. Unfortunately, if an otherwise legitimate master server and/or C&C channel fall into the hands of nefarious entities, legitimate applications configured to use the SDK/C&C channel can potentially be compromised. There is an ongoing need for improvements to software and computer/other infrastructure.